Ever travel with a cooler?

[DizGeek]

I'm thinking of bringing a cooler down to Pop as part of my luggage. May end up leaving it there...anyone ever do this?

 

[escape123]

i always fly to orlando and stop by a store pick up a cheep cooler and some drinks and snacks it saved me sooooo much money on drinks. i learned this one when i went to royal pacific at universal and i wanted a drink and there were no drink machines and you had to go to the bar. i couldent stand it so we took a taxi to a store the next day....lol but i have never stayed at a disney resort so im not sure. but to be safe i would.

 

[rhonhod]

Even though we don't fly, we always take a cooler everywhere we go. DH can't live without Mt Dew.

 

[extremesoccermom]

When we drive we bring the big wheeled cooler. It is great for drinks on the way and lunch meat.
When we fly I have one of those soft sided coolers that we bring. It does leak a little so we keep it in the bath tub or sink when we are out of the room or over night. It is great for leftovers, milk and bottled water.

 

[lovmy2girls]

We always bring a cooler. We don't fly, we come by truck but, its nice to have a ice chest full of Cokes, Water and Beer ICE COLD. When we come back to our room, if your thirsty, just pop the cooler and grab something, same thing for in the morning when you wake up. The fridge is nice, but we like the cooler better. We also bring a few snacks a long. Not much, just enough to calm the hungry person in the morning before we leave for breakfast or the starving child or adult that just has to have something before bed or they will faint from starvation even if we did just eat 3 hours ago at a buffet and they had multiple plates of food.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I once saw an episode of Airline where a lady tried to bring a cooler of raw chicken on the plane. It was kind of funny. Luckily, they would not allow it. Your post reminded me of that. I wouldn't try to bring perishables on the plane.

A softsided cooler is apretty good idea. We tried this one time, though, and you have to restock the cooler with ice all the time, and they leak. Once we stayed at the Marriott. WE thought we'd have a fridge, so we boutgh milk and oj. Instead, they had a minibar. I was able to get teh milk in (by converting to empty water bottles) but the others were too big. WE used the spare sink and a towel to do a makeshift cooler. Worked better than the cooler, since it just drained down the drain. It was still a pain to keep it iced though.

We mostly want milk for our coffee. So here's one plan we use now, esp if we don't have a car. At most WDW resorts, the main bus stop is next to the resort gift shop. Most days, you can make a quick stop in the gift shop area and pick up a quart of milk (like the night before you want to drink it). You don't really have to go out of your way to do this. Milk in quarts costs more than buying it by the gallon at grocery stores, but it's less than buying it at the food courts in pints. You can also replenish it every day or so, so if you neglect your icing, the loss is small.

If I really need more milk in the room in the am, I send DH while I'm getting ready. It's good to give him a little task each morning to keep him from getting too restless.

 

[dandidib]

I purchased the coolest cooler (maybe $70?) in 2001 from Home Shopping Network (the only thing I ever bought thru them.) It is soft, on wheels, has a pull up handle and looks just like a piece of luggage except it is more square than most luggage. My son spent a couple of years at a college in Fla. He would check it in as if if were regular luggage. He would take it down full of frozen food and bring it home full of laundry!

I packed it full of goodies and flew to Disney World in Feb 2006 on Continental (from Newark). Do not know if anyone ever suspected it was a cooler. I used a small combination luggage lock on it. It got there fine. Stayed at Pop and just put some new ice in it each day. On the way back the TSA cut the lock and opened it. They left a note in it for me saying that due to it's "odd" shape they opened/searched it. Guess they were not hungry because they did not take/eat anything! We were on the Disney Dining Plan and did not use most of the snacks afterall!

Went again in Sept 2006 but booked too late to get the free dining (was divorced a couple of years ago from someone who did not enjoy Disney - I am now 50ish, single and making up for lost trips with similar girlfriends!) This time did not take the cooler since we had gotten a great rate on Southwest (from Philadelphia) and I specifically read on their website that no coolers were permitted. Since we were doing Disney Dining again figured it was not worth it to chance it.

Going back in Sept 2007, this time best rate was Jet Blue (from Newark which is really best for us). Got "free dining!!!!!" so probably won't bother with the cooler again.

 

[SnowWtch]

Never leave home without it. We're only 2 hours away but we always pack our cooler and picnic basket full of good stuff so we can save a few $$$.

 

[DisneyFans4]

I never go to Disney without it but I bring the collapsible one so it fits nicely in my luggage. I bring a very large one which actually acts as my fridge and then a smaller one I bring with me to the pool.

 

[shoppingbou]

Hello!

We took a plane last year, rented a car, bought a cheap cooler at Wall Mart, got plenty of water, coke and beer.

And we left the cooler in Disney at the end of our trip (I wonder if it is still there... Hum, lucky him!)!!!!